Sacred Leather
Keep The Fire Burning
King Volume Records/Wise Blood Records
Whilst forwards is the only direction of travel in life, there’s still a lot to be said for music that harks back to metal’s finest hour (say, 1984). The answer as to why metal from that era still has an endearing quality (whilst other genres have come and gone) can be found in Sacred Leather. Taking Manowar, Maiden and Priest as their starting points, Sacred Leather offer a tantalising glimpse of how the future could have sounded had a tyranny like grunge not intervened. Full of pounding drums, speaker-shattering solos and ear-splitting screams, Keep The Fire Burning is an album for everyone who likes the dial turned to eleven. However, the secret to metal’s longevity is its versatility, and this album has it in abundance. In addition to hell-bent-for-leather tracks such as ‘Spitfire At Night’, there’s also more measured cuts like ‘Tear Out My Heart’ to spread the ballast and keep things on an even keel. This push and pull, an ebb and flow, is what holds the listener’s attention, meaning that things never become staid over its 40-minute running time. By harking back to the past, Sacred Leather are guaranteeing metal’s future, and Keep The Fire Burning ensures the flame will burn brightly.
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Review by Peter Dennis